1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to beverage dispensing systems and more particularly pertains to a new beverage dispensing system for permitting an uninterrupted flow of a beverage when a beverage container is low on, or runs out of, a beverage.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of beverage dispensing systems is known in the prior art. More specifically, beverage dispensing systems heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art beverage dispensing systems include U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,560; U.S. Pat. No. 4,997,012; U.S. Pat. No. 4,512,377; U.S. Pat. No. 4,887,651; U.S. Pat. No. 5,332,132; and U.S. Pat. Des. No. 247,905.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new beverage dispensing system. The inventive device includes first and second beverage containers and a dispenser connected to the containers. A system of valves control the flow of beverages from the containers to the dispenser, and manually actuated switches are used to control the valves. A float type of sensor is situated inside each of the beverage containers for sensing the amount of beverage remaining within the containers, and the sensors actuate a signal system for signaling when the amount of beverage remaining within the container reaches a predetermined level. The system is configured such that the beverage in the first container is initially dispensed from the dispenser. When the sensor within the first container senses that the beverage is almost gone, the signal system is actuated thus indicating this low, or empty, condition. The valves are then actuated by the manual switches so as to close the first container and open the second container such that the beverage from the second container is dispensed by the dispenser. The first beverage container can then be replaced, or refilled, when convenient, for later use when the second container runs low or becomes empty.
In these respects, the beverage dispensing system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of permitting an uninterrupted flow of a beverage when a beverage container is low on, or runs out of, a beverage.